That idiot
by Beautymoon
Summary: Right after that more bitter than sweet goodbye, Tyki Mikk runs into the old man Bookman and it is time to tell the panda about eyepatch-kun... ONE SHOT Companion piece to INTERVIEW WITH THE NOAH. Thank you guys for all the support. Here is a little gift for you!


_Hey, people! This fic is a companion piece to "Interview with the Noah". The story happens right after the last scene from the last chapter so, yes, if you haven't read "Interview" I highly recommend it. I have been meaning to write this since the end of the fic but, you know, life got in the way. But today I finally sat down and typed the whole thing in one go._

_This is the conversation between Tyki and Bookman in which the Noah is "thrilled" about sharing the "news". xD_

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**D. Gray Man does not belong to me. All rights reserved by Katsura Hoshino**

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_**That idiot**_

He was walking slowly through the streets, intending to go back to the mansion. Although his strides were all so full of purpose, Tyki felt like he was walking on clouds and he would know how that felt literally, being the Noah of Pleasures. He felt like he was stuck in a dream; his mind wandering far, far away but also in the clouds.

The clouds where eyepatch-kun was probably _still_ piercing through…

The hand stuck in his right pant pocket did not stop fumbling with the eye-patch hidden in there since Tyki Mikk had stopped looking at the darkening sky. He would never admit that not even to himself, but he had simply stood with the feet firmly planted on the alley floor, mesmerized by the vision of the redheaded boy, flying and smiling as he should always be doing but couldn't. Quickly, the red hair and the red scarf had become a red blur as the boy flew higher and higher. Tyki kept watching, hardly blinking until the blur became a little dot and the little dot became nothing but red clouds and bleeding sun ready to go down, and by the time the moon was greeting him, the Noah looked down, realization _finally_ downing on him that eyepatch-kun was really gone, and who knows when he might see the kid again? If the opportunity arises, of course. The Portuguese chuckled as a second realization hit him.

_Eyepatch-kun has left ten minutes ago and here I am, sulking like a little girl who lost her Teddy Bear_.

Now he was reminded of Road, _again_.

And that's how, in his jumbled train of though he ended up in the mansion's garden, almost tripping on the short figure who was staring hardly at him.

"Oi, Noah, where's Lavi?"

_Shit. The panda…Bookman…Damn it._

"Hi." As another reality hit him harder than a tsunami crashing on his skull, that was pretty much all Tyki could articulate as he fished in his pocket for his packet of cigarettes and ended up grabbing the black eye-patch.

"Oh." As it seemed, the old man couldn't say much either. He just went from widening his eyes to narrowing his eyes in a most pissed fashion. He remained in silence for a couple of seconds. Tyki could swear the old man was looking for words because he sure as hell had not been waiting for the Noah of Pleasures suddenly showing up grabbing his disciple's eye-patch in his hand. The panda sighed, as if tired but Tyki knew that old fox better. "I recall that you used to take the buttons from the coats of every exorcist you killed." Bookman didn't mention Allen, the only survivor, on purpose. "But Lavi doesn't have his coat anymore, so you decided to take his eye-patch?"

Bookman was acting all pissed and accusatory but now he was truly scared. If the Noah had Lavi's eye-patch then that means…

"He is alive, old man."

"I know that." The panda replied steady. His answer surprised the Noah, who raised an eyebrow and grunted through the cancer stick between his lips. "Since the time you visited my cell, about two months ago, I just _knew_ you wouldn't kill him, Tyki Mikk; at least not out of the battlefield." The Noah snorted because, damn, the old man was _so_ right. He had known that when not even Tyki himself was sure. "I have other concern right now…"

From the way the tall man was looking at him and then looking at the small piece of black cloth in his hand, Bookman already realized that the Noah understood exactly what he was concerned about.

_That damn idiot had better not have revealed the secret!_

Tyki, after the surprise had passed, went back to his usual cocky, lazy self, as he said calmly. "Relax, old man, your pupil kept the secret." He pointed at his own right eye just to emphasize his point. He doubted the old man hadn't understood the first time.

"I know that idiot, Noah. Are you protecting him?"

Tyki snorted at that. He really was protecting the boy, wasn't he? Even after he had left…How far would he…?

_No, badtrainofthough_

"Come on, panda." Ah, the nickname. Eyepatch-kun had rubbed off on him so much, it was not even funny. "Don't you have not even a teeny tiny bit of faith in poor eyepatch-kun?"

"Your "poor eyepatch-kun" has always been an egotistic brat." The old man crossed his arms over his chest, acting annoyed. "To me, it is easier to believe you are still protecting him than believe that boy finally learned how to keep his mouth shut."

He recalled how the brat carelessly talked about his job as a Bookman heir to Allen Walker. However, he knew not even Allen knew about the eye-secret; it was too important; too personal; too freaking _painful_. No one knew…Not even the brat's dangerous colleagues from the Order…Why should _Tyki Mikk_ know?

_That_ _idiot_.

Bookman could think of the _exact_ reason behind Lavi possibly revealing the secret for his, so far, enemy. It was exactly because of that. The Noah of Pleasures meant…a hidden shelter where Lavi could place his deepest secret in.

He could just hope the idiot kept the secret to himself. Even knowing the Noah was not going to tell a soul, this kind of trust would just make Lavi weak.

"Eyepatch-kun was right. You _are_ an annoying panda." Said annoying panda just shrugged, now truly annoyed. Of course Lavi would complain about that to his Noah. _That idiot_.

"So, old man, aren't you curious?" Tyki asked, noting his cigar was already in half. "Your apprentice is alive, but he is not here."

"I already asked you where he is and you didn't tell me, therefore I see no need of asking you anymore questions. And I know there are akuma all over the place. I'm not talking about Lavi's whereabouts here." _Even though I want to know_, the old man never voiced that last one.

"First of all, you shouldn't worry about the akuma. While you are right when you say they are all over the place, you are wrong about this place here. You see, Trycia loves this garden and Sheryl, for some reason, does not allow the akuma to wander about here. It is the only place inside the mansion where you won't be watched, Bookman."

"_If _you are telling the truth."

"Why would I lie about that? It concerns me too, old man. After all, I did let eyepatch-kun escape…" He finally voiced what he had been just hinting at. "As for where he is, I have no idea."

"I suppose Lavi wouldn't give you an address or anything…" The panda agreed. And since the Noah was actually in danger just by confessing that, he reasoned the man really was not lying about the akuma, so he instantly inquired. "What happened?"

_Oh, boy, where to start?-_ Tyki thought, already feeling a migraine coming.

"The first thing you need to know, Bookman, is that eyepatch-kun spent the last three months lying to all of our faces, and that includes yours. You see, he knew where the innocence had been all the time because he literally ate it back in China. And, well, Wisely discovered his lie and told me and I…" He stopped because the cigar in his lips was no more and he had to replace it immediately. The short man had to wait for the Noah to light another one. "I took his Innocence."

"So you destroyed it?" the man said in a hurry. "But that doesn't make any sense! If he has no Innocence he should come back with you and _do his damn job_!" Bookman not even tried to hide his sudden apprehension. Tyki could really comprehend the geezer.

"Don't be hasty, panda…I never said I destroyed it." Before the shorter one could start another quick conclusion, Tyki explained, now feeling a little anxious too. He knew what he had done, but confessing, and to eyepatch-kun's master no less, was a whole different matter. "I admit I considered it because it would serve eyepatch-kun right." _I even considered killing him too_, was left unsaid. "But, it turns out your apprentice is really unpredictable. The Innocence evolved and in the end I simply let eyepatch-kun fly away on the damn hammer…" _The Damn Hammer..._

Tyki opted for the abridged version of the whole thing because not only he was feeling bitter about the fact that eyepatch-kun was gone, but also because the old man before him was emanating some dangerous vibes. It's not like he was afraid. He was perm-head, Noah of Pleasures! Tyki stopped, realizing what just went through his mind.

_Oh_

Perm-head, Noah of Pleasures.

_God damn you, eyepatch-kun._

The old man, after some seconds grinding his teeth, just grunted more annoyed than ever. "That _idiot_."

It made Tyki laugh.

"I know. But nothing changes the fact that "That idiot" fooled even you, old man."

"Yeah," the other sighed defeated, but Tyki could detect this really miniscule hint of pride in him. "Nothing changes the fact that he fooled you, oh, mighty Noah."

Tyki's answer was slouching on a bench near both men. The geezer followed his gesture, but his posture was more straightened.

"Has eyepatch-kun always been like this, old man?" He turned to the other, childish curiosity glossing his yellow eyes.

"I think I told you that already. Don't you remember?" The panda frowned, hardly believing the Noah could forget a word about their conversation of months ago.

Lavi does that to people- sounded in Tyki Mikk's mind suddenly. Now he remembered.

"Ah…" He blew thin smoke in the air. "Eyepatch-kun "does that to people"…" He refused to use the name "Lavi" showing how intimate he and boy had become.

"He pulls you in, that idiot. I remember that, at first, I had trouble teaching him not to get attached to people, yes, but it was worse when people- people like you, for instance- grew on him. The boy felt guilty because he could never return the feelings."

Oh, Tyki could so see that happening. That was just like eyepatch-kun. But…

"Why are you telling me this, old man?"

"It is not a secret." The geezer made no fuss. "And besides, you spent the last three months visiting Lavi. I'm pretty sure the blabbermouth told you a thing or two about himself."

"That is true."

"I trained the brat so hard. You know, he is talented; too freaking talented. But in his case, that was never a good thing. You see, asides from the genius that boy has never been, as I would say, "Bookman material". It took years for him to become at least a little bit "cynical"." Now it was the old panda's turn to smoke. He fished his estimated pipe from his robe and lighted it. ""Bookman has no need for a heart"" He quoted; _if only that worked out of the theory_… "But Lavi…Not only he has a heart; he has a big one. It is not fair, you know?"

"It must be hard for him." Tyki said, just to state the obvious.

Bookman snorted.

"His heart will kill him one day, Noah. I can't let that happen, rather…" He turned to Tyki, something like a subtle fury in his black eyes. "_You_ shouldn't let that happen!" That made Tyki flinch, taken aback. "_You_ had the power to stop him! _Why the hell_ would you let him go back to that god damned Black Order?!"

_Oh, crap, the old man is pissed_. Tyki found that, among some unpleasant things, funny.

"Woah, wait, wait, why are you accusing me, old man? I saved him, you know?"

"You didn't _save_ him, you _moron_! You just put off his death by throwing him back in that nest of snakes."

All right, the real snakes were not Lavi's close colleagues, but to Bookman even people like Yuu Kanda and Lenalee Lee were a threat to the boy. They were a threat to his heart that had been so tainted with feelings in those cursed last two years…

Now Tyki understood why eyepatch-kun was always so aware of the panda. He could be a scary little panda when he wanted.

"You really care about him, don't you, old man?" Tyki smiled because he could relate. Each second this weird conversation stretched he admitted to himself he cared about the kid as much as he cared about Eaze or even Road. But caring doesn't change the fact that they still were in separate sides of a Holy War. Nothing would ever change the fact that eyepatch-kun was still the enemy, Bookman or not.

"It doesn't matter." The panda said as coldly as he could manage. "I care about his life and about his job. He is the next Bookman and his responsibility is just too great. I can't afford losing him to the Black Order, nor his friends, not even to you, Tyki Mikk."

It was funny how the old man never put the Pleasure under the "friend" category. It was as if he couldn't label what kind of relationship he and eyepatch-kun had; what kind of bond they shared.

It was okay. Tyki Mikk couldn't do that either. Even eyepatch-kun couldn't, he was sure.

"I'll miss the "perm-head" nickname." The perm-headed Noah blurted before he could swallow his words.

The geezer snorted again. Why Lavi had to be like that? Why the brat was so bright and likeable? He would never admit it, but behind all his speech about protecting the Bookman heir, he also wanted to protect that redheaded idiot because, in all those years, he grew fond of the brat. Come to think of it, he liked that little shit since he first met him. He would never forget those bright eyes so full of innocence. He would never forget how much he regretted since day one that he would have to taint that curious, innocent creature.

He would never forget the first log; the first battle; the bitter first tears…

And the irony is that _the more he tried to protect the boy_ from the world, from his own feelings, _the more the boy got hurt_.

"You still want to protect him, don't you, Tyki? Even though you know you can't…"

Perm-head looked at the starry sky and let out a simple "Life sucks." Then he completed the idea. "Where do you thing he went to?"

"He might have run away with the Innocence but the brat is still a Bookman." _That's the only consolation I have, even though it is not good enough to soothe my soul_. "He probably went after Allen Walker."

"Ah," Tyki smiled. "Then that means I might…" He didn't complete his thoughts.

"You are a weird Noah…" _Reminds me of __him_... Bookman thought, recalling not only Neah, but also his former disciple. "You aren't satisfied with one betrayal. You need another one." He smirked. "You are plain suicidal."

"As I said, life sucks." Tyki tried hiding his feelings with the good old sarcasm. But after all that had been done and said, he was doing it just out of habit.

"Yeah, and now I can see why you like Lavi so much." _Besides the fact that Lavi simply seduces people without even trying_, he added in his mind. "You are an idiot, just like him."

Tyki twirled the eye-patch between his fingers, looking at it; looking at the possibilities.

"Maybe I am." He laughed, pleasured, and walked away.

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_Hi! _

_It has been months since "Interview" ended but I still cooked up this idea. I have been cooking up other ideas related to the fic and when I have the time, I'll type them down. Well, I tried to write in the style of "Interview" as much as possible; paying attention to the characters and the past events. The title "That idiot" reffers to Lavi, of course. If you guys remember, Bookman used to call him that fairly often in the other fic. I wanted to show a lot of the old man's feelings. And altough Lavi is not present, the whole fic was about him. I think the panda wouldn't have a problem to "open up" to Tyki the way he just did exactly because they are talking about Lavi and how the brat touched the "monster" Tyki and the "cold" geezer._

_Tell me if there are too many typos/grammar mistakes. I read this twice before posting but if there is something wrong, do tell me, okay? Oh, by the way, I'll soon edit the chapters of "Interview". I finally got me some time to do that. So, I'll correct the mistakes as best as I can with my limited knowledge of English._

_Well, I hope you guys like it! I wrote this more for you than me, this time. It is a thank you to all the support in "Interview"._

_One random note: Let's watch "Code Breaker". I've been reading the manga for a while and when I discovered they made the anime I was all "OMG! This is AWESOME!" Right now I'm listening the ending theme. xD_

**Moon**


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